Self-leveling storing and dispensing apparatus



March 25, 1958 A. P. $IMPSON 1 2,328,006

' SELF-LEVELING STORING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Nov. s, 1953 INVENTQR ARTHUR P. SiMPSQN BY v ATTORNEY selected to illustrate the invention progresses. v accompanying drawings, which form a part of this speci- 2,828,006 Patented Mar. 25', 1958' SELF-LEVELING STORING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Arthur P. Simpson, River Edge, N. J., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application NovemberS, 1953, Serial No. 389,936

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-4546) This invention relates to self-leveling, lowering and dispensing apparatus and particularly 'to low cost 'dispenser-s .for storing and displaying material such as in retail establishments.

The present invention is an improved device which is adapted for being shipped as a collapsed dispenser together with the merchandise it is to display, and for being readily assembledin the field by a retailer. Another advantage of the invention is that it can be used as a packaging container for shipping mechandise which can then be converted into a self-leveling storing and dispensing apparatus when it has arrived at its destination.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and low cost self-leveling storing and dispensing apparatus for packaged goods.

Another object of this invention is to provide a carton which may be readily manufactured in large quantitles for shipment in collapsed form with merchandise which it is to store and dispense at point of sale.

Another object is to provide self-leveling dispenser which employs calibrated rubber bands for counterbalancing the material supported on the carrier platform.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment In the fication, like characters of reference have been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings.

Fig. l is an isometric front elevation of the self-leveling storing and dispensing apparatus comprising a paper carton in which an empty package is suspended by rubber bands to act as carrier for the load placed thereon;

Fig. 2 is an isometric rearview of the top portion of the self-leveling storing, and dispensing apparatus illustrating the rubber band receiving slots in the paper carton housing of the same;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the collapsible cardboard housing of the dispensing apparatus with its bottom flap in open position;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the empty container in upside down position illustrating the manner of looping a pair of rubber bands behind the end flaps of the empty container; and

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the empty container in upside down position with the top and end flaps closed illustrating how the rubber bands are hooked to the empty container now ready for use as a carrier platform for the self-leveling storing and dispensing apparatus.

The apparatus used to illustrate the invention consists of an outer elongated rectangular four-sided shell which may be made from cardboard, plastics, or any other low-cost materialhaving the edges 12 so creased or' scored that it can be readily pushed into its rectangular shape without the use of special tools. The bottom of the carton or shell 10 consists of conventional flaps 14 which can be made interlocking, or can be alternately leaved in a manner well-known in the art, so as to make it self-locking. When the bottom of the carton 10 has been errclosed it will :maintain the outer rectangular foursidedshell. inv its set up condition as shown in Fig. 1'.

, It will *be appreciated that instead of making the conminer 10 rectangularin crosssection it could be circular,

oval or any other shape corresponding to the material to bedispensed. In Fig. 3 I have shown the bottom of the carton illustrated in Fig. 1 which shows the flaps 14 to which I have referred. V

The upper end of the rectangular shell is shaped so that three sides 16, 18 and 20 are acting as side and rear walls while the front side 22 is lower than the other sides to permit particles to be readily removed horizontally from the dispensing apparatus. The sides 16 and 20' have -slits 24'; 26, 2'8 and 30 formed therein so that -a coun*terbalancing rubber band or similar elastic member '32 and 34 maybe engaged with the same to support:a carrier platform 36. The rubber bands 32'and 34 are calibrated so that they stretch an amount varying with the force exerted thereon so that the top of the supported material is always automatically raised or low ered to a constant level regardless of whether material is added to or removed from the carrier platform 36. The amount of force required to stretch a rubber band a given distance varies with the thickness or cross sectional area of the rubber band. Thus, a thick rubber band will require more force to stretch the same than a thin rubber band. When using the word calibrated, it is meant that a rubber band will be chosen having the thickness, resiliency and elasticity which will stretch and contract under a given force which will correspond with the weight of material being dispensed, so as to always maintain the top item of material supported on the stack at a substantially constant level.

The carrier platform 36 could be made from a sheet of cardboard, metal or can be conveniently made from one of the packages to be stored. The latter has the advantage that the carrier platform is exactly the same size as the articles that are to be stored and dispensed.

I have shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the manner in which the rubber bands 32 and 34 are secured at the lower end to the opposite ends of the carrier 36.

It has been found that a sturdy and rugged carrier platform can easily be made from a package of the goods which is to be stored in the dispenser by so arranging the main cover fiap 38 and the end cover flap 40 and 42 so that they extend downwardly. When force is exerted on the support by the rubber bands 32 and 34, if there is any tendency for the flap to open it will be maintained closed by its being in close proximity to the side walls 16 and 20 of the'dispenser housing 10. In other words, the pulling force exerted by the rubber bands does not result in any opening force being exerted on the flaps. After the empty package is inserted in the shell and suspended by said rubber bands, then packages P are placed on top of the thus formed carrier platform.

It will be noted that the improved self-leveling dispenser is adaptable for use with conventional packages without any modification and the manner in which the outside carton has to be shaped can be readily accomplished by existing equipment.

The invention hereinabove described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the V particular device selected to illustrate the invention is comprising a rectangular cardboard carton having one end open through which a stack of boxes may freely pass up and down, said cardboard carton having slits formed in the corners of the upper end thereof, a carrier platform made from one of said boxes, said carrier platform box having hinged flaps formed at opposite ends thereof which flaps extend downwardly and inwardly at the lower side of said box, and rubber band loops interconnecting said slits with said platform for counterbalancing boxes supported on said platform, the lower ends of the rubber bands being looped under the downturned flaps and extend along the hinge line thereof and exert an upward pull suificient to maintain the top box on said stack of boxes at a constant level with respect to the top of said carton.

2. A self-leveling, storing and dispensing apparatus comprising a rectangular cardboard carton having one end open through which a stack of boxes may freely pass up and down, a carrier platform made from one of said boxes, said cardboard carton having means securing rubber band loops to the upper end thereof, said rubber band loops interconnecting said means with said platform for counterbalancing boxes supported on said platform, said carrier platform box having hinged ,flaps formed at opposite ends thereof which flaps extend downwardly and inwardly at the lower side of said box, the lower ends of the rubber band loops being looped under the downturned flaps and extend along the hinge line thereof to exert an upward pull sufiicient to maintain the top box of said stack of boxes at a constant level with respect to the top of said cardboard carton.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 220,575 Casey Oct. 14, 1879 1,620,808 Eldridge Mar. 15, 1927 1,718,277 Crowell June 25, 1929 1,731,721 McGowan Oct. 15, 1929 1,945,141 Fenska -1. Jan. 30, 1934 2,112,551 Anderson Mar. 29, 1938 2,262,318 Fox Nov. 11, 1941 2,346,407 Wright Apr. 11, 1944 2,347,021 Auerback Apr. 18, 1944 2,771,979 Lenhart Nov. 27, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 27,206 Great Britain 1912 

